The Research
Primary Research
I conducted a combination of in-person and phone interviews to gain insights into users' perspectives on budgeting. This approach allowed me to gather a comprehensive understanding of their thoughts and experiences related to budget management.
Based on the interviews conducted, here are some insights:
Interviewee 1
- Budgeting is not a common thing done when they are younger
- Keep track of utilities, insurance, and mortgages
- Often ask their children on technology usage
Interviewee 2
- Keep track of utility and spending habits
- Basic understanding of technology; but still ask children occasionally
- Try to attain an accurate spending calculator to prevent the overuse of money
There are some common grounds between each interviewee.
- Old fashion budgeting using pen and paper
- Try their best to stay on track, but occasionally forget to input amounts
Secondary Research
I conducted a more in-depth dive to gather enhanced insights into users' budgeting habits and practices.
Based on the study, common things users take into consideration are
- Housing expenses: Food expenses: Health expenses: Transportation expenses: Clothing expenses: Entertainment expenses:
- Only 32% of the household budget
- Americans saved an average of 6.4% of their incomes as of 2022.
- Out of people who budget, 70% take the time to check their spending against it once a week. (source)
- Among households that keep a budget:
- 70.7% use a bank account website
- 31.7% plug their numbers into a spreadsheet
- 20.8% use a checkbook
- 29.2% use either a mobile app or computer software (source)
Prototype & Test
Usability Testing
During the usability testing sessions, I observed the users' interactions with the prototype and asked for their feedback on each step of the process. By observing their actions and capturing their thoughts, I gained valuable insights into whether the app was successful in addressing their concerns and providing a satisfactory user experience.
Affinity Map
I broke down and grouped the common pain points experienced by the users
Before
- Wanted more labels for descriptive purposes
After
- Added labels to help identify each sections
Before
- Was frustrated on how to delete columns
After
- Made more obvious indication how to delete columns
Reflection
As part of the next steps, I would like to build and conduct usability testing on the responsive web version of the app. This testing will help evaluate the user experience and identify potential usability issues across different devices and screen sizes. Additionally, I intend to conduct research to assess the effectiveness of the app in helping users with their budgeting, and how well users manage their budgets while using the app. Furthermore, I will work on providing more information and resources within the app to guide users on effective budgeting techniques.
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